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Direct Youth Center: A Response to Adolescent Mental Health
Amanda Littlefield
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
Direct Youth Center: A Response to Adolescent Mental Health
Population
In 2025, 19.2 percent of adolescent positively screened for depression (National Center
for Health Statistics, 2025), while 42 percent felt consistently sad and hopeless and 22 percent
considered suicide (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, 2024). In rural communities that
number increases due to a number of reasons such as, shortage of mental health professionals,
stigma revolving around mental health, lack of support in the home, and lack of resources and
support in the community (Grenon et al., 2025). Mental health professional shortages are
happening across the nation however 61 percent of those shortages are in rural communities
(Mangrio et al., 2024).
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The adolescent age period (10 years to 19 years of age) is a period of many changes and
challenges. From hormonal and physical changes to emotional and mental changes, this period
of one’s life is a time for developing, growing, figuring out oneself and the peer group to fit in
with, and academic stress. With this new academic stress from transitioning from primary
school to secondary school, brings an increase in vulnerability and risk in middle school
students for mental health issues (Green et al., 2021). When looking at direct influences on the
mental health of adolescence, social interactions and relationships climb to the top of the list
(Franco et al., 2022).
With this period in one’s life being the most vulnerable time to influence, it is no wonder
why encouraging positive peer relationships and positive behaviors are important for positive
mental health (Green et al., 2021). Yoon et al. (2022) found that youth were more likely to
experience mental health problems and negative mental wellbeing through the transition into
adolescence and that gender also played a role in mental health problems. Girls reported a
higher level of difficulty in mental health problems than boys (Fox & Hanes, 2023; Yoon et al.,
2022). Along with gender differences, cultural differences also play a role when treating teens
for mental health illnesses. Meldahl et al. (2022) found that to effectively meet the mental
health needs of adolescents, cultural identities needed to be acknowledged.
The Need
The gap between teen mental health and the resources that can support them and treat
them is a crucial gap that needs to be researched further. Mew et al. (2024) explored this gap
and found that one reason for the gap is due to mistrust that adolescents have towards mental
health professionals. Young people find that mental health professionals are unprofessional, do
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not truly care for the teens, and do not take confidentiality serious (Mew et al., 2024). Other
studies found that adolescents felt that services to help with mental health issues were
inaccessible (Meldahl et al., 2022; Ogresta et al., 2025). The stigma around mental health has
also caused a gap between adolescents seeking help and actually receiving support (Ogresta et
al., 2025).
Understanding what is important to adolescents who are seeking support for their
mental health issues is another critical step in providing those resources to them. Meldahl et al.
(2022) found that adolescents are more likely to use services geared towards them for their
mental health if the information provided to them is consistent. Adolescents often find that the
stigma around seeking help can be seen as a weakness, specifically males (Ogresta et al., 2025).
Adolescents also feel they are unheard, not informed of their own treatment, and are often left
out of the major decisions regarding their treatment (Strom et al., 2025). There is no difference
in the opinions of adolescents in urban communities or rural communities.
Not only do adolescents in rural communities face the challenges listed above but they
also face other challenges. Terry et al. (2024) found that rural communities face socioeconomic
challenges and therefore have a higher number of youths living in poverty. Due to this, funding
is limited for mental health services and even when resources are present, they are not always
staffed (Terry et al., 2024). During COVID-19 rural communities were provided grant funding to
provide mental health services, however those funds will run out and those services will no
longer be able to provide services (Terry et al., 2024). Even with the use of technology and the
availability of telehealth, in rural communities that is not always an option. Many families in
rural communities do not have access to the internet.
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Youth Program
Direct Youth Center
Direct youth is formed around Prov. 3:5-6, that talks about trusting in the Lord with
everything in you and not relying on what you know but if you seek Him, then He will make your
path straight (New Living Translation). Direct youth’s services are formed on a Christian
foundation, following scripture that is uplifting to teenagers. Direct youth is a youth center that
provides to youth ages 12 to 17. This is a safe environment where youth from the community
can come to build relationships, find help with homework, participate in therapeutic services
such as group sessions and individual sessions with mental health professionals.
Youth will be able to explore their athletic abilities with staff using our basketball courts
and batting cages during structured and supervised times. For those youth who do not find
athletics to be of interest there is also a place to create art and crafts that are meaningful to the
student and where youth can engage in board games with staff and one another. Youth will also
be invited to join in a time of devotionals and prayer.
Days and Times
This youth center will operate Monday through Thursday 2:30 until 6:30 with a snack
and meal provided. On Friday Direct youth will operate 2:30 until 8:00 with a snack and meal
provided. Saturdays and Sundays the center will operate 1:00 pm until 8:00 pm with snack and
meal provided. Direct youth will have an on call mental health professional during times that
the center is not open to the public.
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Focusing on Bridging the Gap
Direct youth will focus on bridging the gap between adolescents and community with
the hope to be able to send youth into the community to engage and build meaningful
relationships while also providing skills to be academically successful. To do this Direct Youth will
help youth discover their potential through therapeutic services to increase self-esteem,
positive relationship building, positive communication skills, increasing executive functions,
allowing God to guide the direction of the discussions and growth in the youth.
Challenges
One major challenge with the youth center is funding. Direct youth is fully reliant on
donations and financial support from the community as a non-profit organization. Other
challenges when starting the program, is gaining trust with the teens in the community. The
youth may have experience distrust with adults in the community, may not be motivated, and
may not have support from parents to engage in the program. Staffing is another barrier that
this program could face as many in a rural community may not have the educational background
needed to support this program according to state laws.
To address these challenges focusing on involving the community in an open house to
experience the program and see what the expectation will be of the students and the safe
environment that will be provided could increase stakeholder’s willingness to provide funding.
This open house would also provide an opportunity for youth to discover what the program is
about and how this could be beneficial to support their mental health.
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Conclusion
Adolescents are struggling with mental health illness every day and resources to support
them with those illnesses are dwindling. Today’s youth have lived through a pandemic that shut
down their face to face interactions with their peers that form one of the most important things
during the adolescent period, socialization. They needed to turn to screens to communicate
with friends, teachers, and some family. Although they were raised on technology, the
pandemic forced them to only interact via screens and technology, forcing them to shut
themselves off of the “real world”.
Once the rules were lifted and things began to get back to normal, it was not the normal
that many once knew. Adolescents were faced with a new normal and were faced with
returning to school for those face to face interactions that they went months to a year without.
Adding this new normal to their stress of everyday adolescent life was the perfect storm for a
mental health crisis. A mental health crisis that is exploding and resources and support
imploding. Funding that was once granted to communities and used for mental health support
is beginning to run out or has already ran out and the resources are no longer available
however, the mental health issues are still here and increasing.
Educating a rural community on mental health is important to be able to begin
implementing a mental health resource for adolescents other than schools. Today’s youth would
thrive with face to face interaction again, whether that through group therapeutic services,
youth centers, or community involvement. Leading youth through the Bible and providing them
with mental health support will not only benefit the community but also be pleasing to God,
who is the ultimate healer.
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References
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